Checkers News

The Checkers returned to the Time Warner Cable Arena ice for the first time since recording their first home win of the season last weekend, but did not find the same result, getting steamrolled by the Texas Stars 8-2.

The Stars came out firing, putting five goals on the board in the first frame, each coming off a different stick. The fifth marker chased starter Drew MacIntyre from the game, and John Muse entered the game as a replacement at the 10:01 mark of the first. MacIntyre allowed four goals on nine shots and was saddled with the loss.

With under five minutes to go in the first period, rookie Carter Sandlak was issued a match penalty for an altercation with Stars forward Gemel Smith. The incident gave Texas seven minutes of a man-advantage, which the Checkers successfully killed.

After surrendering another goal midway through the second, Jared Staal put the Checkers on the score sheet, hammering home a rebound that came off the end boards. The marker was Staal’s third of the season, putting him one shy of his career high. The Checkers added one more goal late in the third, with A.J. Jenks sniping a wrist shot top shelf, but it didn’t make a difference, as Texas cruised to an 8-2 victory behind a Derek Hulak hat trick.

The five goals allowed in the first period matched a franchise high, and seemed to deflate any energy that the Checkers had right off the bat.

“We missed the start of the game,” said head coach Jeff Daniels. “We lost the game in the first period.” The hot start from the visitors forced the Checkers back on their heels, and they could never quite get anything going against a very skilled Texas team.

“They’re the defending champs for a reason, and if we’re going to play straight-legged and afraid to make a mistake, they’ll make us look silly like they did in the first period,” said Daniels.

The Checkers were finally able to create some opportunities in the final two periods, but could not seem to convert. But even with the late chances, it was too little too late.

“They [Texas] took their foot off the gas a little bit,” said Daniels. “And at that point it doesn’t really matter. The game’s over.”

The team will now regroup for a rematch with the Stars on Monday night. Despite the uneven final tonight, Daniels stressed the importance of approaching Monday’s game with a clean slate.

“You’ve got to have a short term memory. We can’t feel sorry for ourselves and come out and play scared and on our heels.”

NOTES

During the game, the Checkers chose to provide all fans in attendance with a free ticket to their game against San Antonio on Sunday, Dec. 21 … The Checkers’ eight goals allowed tied a franchise record set three times previously … The Checkers’ five goals allowed in the first period tied a franchise record set three times previously … MacIntyre’s goals-against average went from 2.29 prior to the game to 2.79 following … Ryan Murphy and Brody Sutter each posted a game-low, minus-3 rating … The Checkers out-shot Texas 15-3 in the third period … Texas’ 20 shots in the first period were the most allowed by the Checkers in a period this season.